Magazine

February 2013: 12-Step Turtle

How a backyard red-eared slider showed her the way to Step Two

I entered AA carrying tremendous hatred and anger toward God. I felt abandoned and broken by multiple tragedies, and I’d lost all ability to cope with life. I barely recognized myself. In early sobriety, my mindset screamed that God let me suffer terrible things as punishment. Or that he’d shown utter apathy toward my unique and desperate plight. I raged and rebelled against the program’s insistence that I turn my will and life over to a Higher Power, because I wholeheartedly believed mine already had screwed me over. I wasn’t going to set myself up to be cheated and deserted by... Login to read moreNot a subscriber? Click here to subscribe.